January Haze, 10" x20" - sold

I had a very productive weekend, with two more paintings basically done. I say "basically" because it often happens that I find things to tweak after I have taken photos...

My show's title is going to be Impressions of Central New York. Since this area is covered in snow four months out of a year, it would be fitting for a quarter of my paintings to be about snow. So I'll have to think of at least one more to paint. Luckily for me, and despite the very cold spells, I'm finding snow scenes very comforting and appealing!

Cazenovia Lake at Dusk, 16"x12" - sold

Last Saturday, I felt like painting another winter landscape. While looking through my files I found an autumn scene that really spoke to me, and I dove into it. It started so well but midway I got into trouble. The irony is that I'm taking this free webinar, and one of the recommendations the instructor gives about working from photos is that at least 75% of the information should be there. Well, my photo had 45% at most! I started adding a tree here and there to fill in the void and it was a total disaster. From past experience I should have known better too. Fortunately, it was done on a small Ampersand board, so I just washed the pastel off.

Having the need to produce a finished piece during the weekend, I decided to start this one. All the info needed was in the reference photo. I know, there wasn't much challenge in it, but sometimes that's OK too, and I have to confess that it was like balm for my ego.

Show update: I'm still procrastinating on the 3 half done pieces...

Winter Shadows, 20" x 16"

One more basically done for the show!

I decided to jump into this one while taking a "break" from my other 3 started paintings.

It was smooth sailing from the get go and I think that's because even when I was taking the reference photo I knew what I was going to do to make the scene work for me: create an opening in the middle ground, add more variety to the foreground hedge, change the direction of the corn-stub rows, and change the time of day.

Even with a good sketch I found myself making a few changes midway, but they were minimal. I know there is more I can do to it but I'll wait. Done on re-coated Ampersand pastelbord.

A Storm is Coming, 5"x7" SOLD

Once again, I have to rely on an old painting to keep up with my blog. This one was actually not so old since I had it ready for the Plowshares show last Dec, where it sold.

I have been working on 3 large paintings for the March show. While I prefer to finish a piece before starting a new one, I feel that I have reached a point where I need to let things rest for a while to see what else I need to do to get the mood I want, so in the mean-time, what else can I do but to start another painting?

I'm getting very excited about the show and hope to share at lest one of the paintings with you soon!

After the Rain, 5"x7"

It's not nice to start the new year with a cold but that's exactly was has happened to me. I'm recovering though and even started a new painting that I hope to finish very soon. I'm being extra careful though about pastel dust as it can make things worse.

For the time being, this is one of the small paintings I did in November, based on a reference photo from the area. The place is located on Rt 175 and I wonder how long it'll be before this pasture is gone and new houses are built there.

I want to thank all the people who are following my blog. You guys keep me on my toes!

Peeking Through, 7"x 5"

I recently heard a good instructor say that if you have a building in the focal area of a painting there is not much point in hiding it with trees, etc.

I have thought a lot about that because I happen to like things that are half-way hidden! What I liked about the reference photo was the quiet statement the house made amid so much color.

Aflame, 5" x 7" - Sold

This little tree was painted, photographed, and framed last Saturday. I sold 4 paintings that day at the Plowshares craftsfair and thought of replacing them with new ones I had not had the chance to frame for the show. But the muse struck me and this tree practically painted itself.
Sunday was slow going, probably due to the snow, and although this piece did not sell, I received very nice comments about it.